Kill two birds with one stone: simultaneous removal of volatile organic compounds and ozone secondary pollution by a novel photocatalytic process.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) originating from diverse sources with complex compositions pose threats to both environmental safety and human health. Photocatalytic treatment of VOCs has garnered attention due to its high efficacy at room temperature. However, the intricate photochemical reaction generates ozone (O3), causing secondary pollution. Herein, our work developed a novel "synergistic effect" system for photocatalytic co-treatment of VOCs and O3 secondary pollution. Under the optimized reactor conditions simulated with computational fluid dynamics (CFD), MgO-loaded g-C3N4 composites (MgO/g-C3N4) were synthesized as efficient catalysts for the photocatalytic synergistic treatment process. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations, characterization, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) tests revealed that the addition of MgO reduced the band gap of g-C3N4, and increased O3 molecule adsorption in the composites, efficiently harnessing the synergistic effect of O3 to generate a significant quantity of reactive oxygen radicals, thereby facilitating the removal of VOCs and O3. This study provides new insights for simultaneous elimination of VOCs and O3 secondary pollution by a photocatalytic process.

Revealing intact neuronal circuitry in centimeter-sized formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded brain.

Tissue-clearing and labeling techniques have revolutionized brain-wide imaging and analysis, yet their application to clinical formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks remains challenging. We introduce HIF-Clear, a novel method for efficiently clearing and labeling centimeter-thick FFPE specimens using elevated temperature and concentrated detergents. HIF-Clear with multi-round immunolabeling reveals neuron circuitry regulating multiple neurotransmitter systems in a whole FFPE mouse brain and is able to be used as the evaluation of disease treatment efficiency. HIF-Clear also supports expansion microscopy and can be performed on a non-sectioned 15-year-old FFPE specimen, as well as a 3-month formalin-fixed mouse brain. Thus, HIF-Clear represents a feasible approach for researching archived FFPE specimens for future neuroscientific and 3D neuropathological analyses.

Dimensional and Doping Engineering of Chiral Perovskites with Enhanced Spin Selectivity for Green Emissive Spin Light-Emitting Diodes.

Chiral perovskites play a pivotal role in spintronics and optoelectronic systems attributed to their chiral-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect. Specifically, they allow for spin-polarized charge transport in spin light-emitting diodes (LEDs), yielding circularly polarized electroluminescence at room temperature without external magnetic fields. However, chiral lead bromide-based perovskites have yet to achieve high-performance green emissive spin-LEDs, owing to limited CISS effects and charge transport. Herein, we employ dimensional regulation and Sn2+-doping to optimize chiral bromide-based perovskite architecture for green emissive spin-LEDs. The optimized (PEA)x(S/R-PRDA)2-xSn0.1Pb0.9Br4 chiral perovskite film exhibits an enhanced CISS effect, higher hole mobility, and better energy level alignment with the emissive layer. These improvements allow us to fabricate green emissive spin-LEDs with an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 5.7% and an asymmetry factor |gCP-EL| of 1.1 × 10-3. This work highlights the importance of tailored perovskite architectures and doping strategies in advancing spintronics for optoelectronic applications.

Prognostic value of pre-treatment [18F] FDG PET/CT in recurrent nasopharyngeal carcinoma without distant metastasis.

BACKGROUND: [18 F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has the ability to detect local and/or regional recurrence as well as distant metastasis. We aimed to evaluate the prognosis value of PET/CT in locoregional recurrent nasopharyngeal (lrNPC). METHODS: A total of 451 eligible patients diagnosed with recurrent I-IVA (rI-IVA) NPC between April 2009 and December 2015 were retrospectively included in this study. The differences in overall survival (OS) of lrNPC patients with and without PET/CT were compared in the I-II, III-IVA, r0-II, and rIII-IVA cohorts, which were grouped by initial staging and recurrent staging (according to MRI). RESULTS: In the III-IVA and rIII-IVA NPC patients, with PET/CT exhibited significantly higher OS rates in the univariate analysis (P = 0.045; P = 0.009; respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that with PET/CT was an independent predictor of OS in the rIII-IVA cohort (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.476; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.267 to 0.847; P = 0.012). In the rIII-IVA NPC, patients receiving PET/CT sacns before salvage surgery had a better prognosis compared with MRI alone (P = 0.036). The recurrent stage (based on PET/CT) was an independent predictor of OS. (r0-II versus [vs]. rIII-IVA; HR = 0.376; 95% CI: 0.150 to 0.938; P = 0.036). CONCLUSION: The present study showed that with PET/CT could improve overall survival for rIII-IVA NPC patients. PET/CT appears to be an effective method for assessing rTNM staging.

Constructing a 3D Ion Transport Channel-Based CNF Composite Film with an Intercalated Structure for Superior Performance Flexible Supercapacitors.

The weak stiffness, huge thickness, and low specific capacitance of commonly utilized flexible supercapacitors hinder their great electrochemical performance. Learning from a biomimetic interface strategy, we design flexible film electrodes based on functional intercalated structures with excellent electrochemical properties and mechanical flexibility. A composite film with high strength and flexibility is created using graphene (reduced graphene oxide (rGO)) as the plane layer, layered double metal hydroxide (LDH) as the support layer, and cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as the connection agent and flexible agent. The interlayer height can be adjusted by the ion concentration. The highly interconnected network enables excellent electron and ion transport channels, facilitating rapid ion diffusion and redox reactions. Moreover, the high flexibility and mechanical properties of the film achieve multiple folding and bending. The CNF-rGO-NiCoLDH film electrode exhibits high capacitance performance (3620.5 mF cm-2 at 2 mA cm-2), excellent mechanical properties, and high flexibility. Notably, flexible all-solid assembled CNF-rGO-NiCoLDH//rGO has an extremely high area energy density of 53.5 mWh cm-2 at a power density of 1071.2 mW cm-2, along with cycling stability of 89.8% retention after 10 000 charge-discharge cycles. This work provides a perspective for designing high-performance energy storage materials for flexible electronics and wearable devices.

Reduced-Volume Irradiation of Uninvolved Neck in Patients With Nasopharyngeal Cancer: Updated Results From an Open-Label, Noninferiority, Multicenter, Randomized Phase III Trial.

Clinical trials frequently include multiple end points that mature at different times. The initial report, typically based on the primary end point, may be published when key planned co-primary or secondary analyses are not yet available. Clinical Trial Updates provide an opportunity to disseminate additional results from studies, published in JCO or elsewhere, for which the primary end point has already been reported.We previously reported comparable 3-year regional relapse-free survival (RRFS) using elective upper-neck irradiation (UNI) in N0-1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) compared with standard whole-neck irradiation (WNI). Here, we present the prespecified 5-year overall survival (OS), RRFS, late toxicity, and additional analyses. In this randomized trial, patients received UNI (n = 224) or WNI (n = 222) for an uninvolved neck. After a median follow-up of 74 months, the UNI and WNI groups had similar 5-year OS (95.9% v 93.1%, hazard ratio [HR], 0.63 [95% CI, 0.30 to 1.35]; P = .24) and RRFS (95.0% v 94.9%, HR, 0.96 [95% CI, 0.43 to 2.13]; P = .91) rates. The 5-year disease-free survivors in the UNI group had a lower frequency of hypothyroidism (34% v 48%; P = .004), neck tissue damage (29% v 46%; P < .001), dysphagia (14% v 27%; P = .002), and lower-neck common carotid artery stenosis (15% v 26%; P = .043). The UNI group had higher postradiotherapy circulating lymphocyte counts than the WNI group (median: 400 cells/µL v 335 cells/µL, P = .007). In conclusion, these updated data confirmed that UNI of the uninvolved neck is a standard of care in N0-1 NPC, providing outstanding efficacy and reduced long-term toxicity, and might retain more immune function.

Remodeling of the Intra-Conduit Inflammatory Microenvironment to Improve Peripheral Nerve Regeneration with a Neuromechanical Matching Protein-Based Conduit.

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) remains a challenging area in regenerative medicine. Nerve guide conduit (NGC) transplantation is a common treatment for PNI, but the prognosis of NGC treatment is unsatisfactory due to 1) neuromechanical unmatching and 2) the intra-conduit inflammatory microenvironment (IME) resulting from Schwann cell pyroptosis and inflammatory-polarized macrophages. A neuromechanically matched NGC composed of regenerated silk fibroin (RSF) loaded with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (P:P) and dimethyl fumarate (DMF) are designed, which exhibits a matched elastic modulus (25.1 ± 3.5 MPa) for the peripheral nerve and the highest 80% elongation at break, better than most protein-based conduits. Moreover, the NGC can gradually regulate the intra-conduit IME by releasing DMF and monitoring sciatic nerve movements via piezoresistive sensing. The combination of NGC and electrical stimulation modulates the IME to support PNI regeneration by synergistically inhibiting Schwann cell pyroptosis and reducing inflammatory factor release, shifting macrophage polarization from the inflammatory M1 phenotype to the tissue regenerative M2 phenotype and resulting in functional recovery of neurons. In a rat sciatic nerve crush model, NGC promoted remyelination and functional and structural regeneration. Generally, the DMF/RSF/P:P conduit provides a new potential therapeutic approach to promote nerve repair in future clinical treatments.

Evaluation of a novel model incorporating serological indicators into the conventional TNM staging system for nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Non-anatomical factors significantly affect treatment guidance and prognostic prediction in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Here, we developed a novel survival model by combining conventional TNM staging and serological indicators. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 10,914 eligible patients with nonmetastatic NPC over 2009-2017 and randomly divided them into training (n = 7672) and validation (n = 3242) cohorts. The new staging system was constructed based on T category, N category, and pretreatment serological markers by using recursive partitioning analysis (RPA). RESULTS: In multivariate Cox analysis, pretreatment cell-free Epstein-Barr virus (cfEBV) DNA levels of >2000 copies/mL [HROS (95 % CI) = 1.78 (1.57-2.02)], elevated lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels [HROS (95 % CI) = 1.64 (1.41-1.92)], and C-reactive protein-to-albumin ratio (CAR) of >0.04 [HROS (95 % CI) = 1.20 (1.07-1.34)] were associated with negative prognosis (all P < 0.05). Through RPA, we stratified patients into four risk groups: RPA I (n = 3209), RPA II (n = 2063), RPA III (n = 1263), and RPA IV (n = 1137), with 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of 93.2 %, 86.0 %, 80.6 %, and 71.9 % (all P < 0.001), respectively. Compared with the TNM staging system (eighth edition), RPA risk grouping demonstrated higher prognostic prediction efficacy in the training [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.661 vs. 0.631, P < 0.001] and validation (AUC = 0.687 vs. 0.654, P = 0.001) cohorts. Furthermore, our model could distinguish sensitive patients suitable for induction chemotherapy well. CONCLUSION: Our novel RPA staging model outperformed the current TNM staging system in prognostic prediction and clinical decision-making. We recommend incorporating cfEBV DNA, LDH, and CAR into the TNM staging system.

[Analysis of the efficacy of high tibial osteotomy combined with medial meniscus centralization in knee osteoarthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the efficacy of high tibial osteotomy （HTO） combined with medial meniscus centralization in knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: A total of 26 patients who underwent surgery from October 2018 to October 2020 were reviewed. Among them, 14 patients underwent high tibial osteotomy combined with arthroscopic meniscus centralization surgery were centralized group, including 8 males and 6 females, with an average age of （50.2±1.4） years old and follow-up time of （16.8±4.0） months. Twelve patients with high tibial osteotomy were in the control group, including 6 males and 6 females, with an average age of （50.9±1.8） years and follow-up time of （19.0±4.8） months. Operation time, the knee Lysholm score, knee 2000 IKDC score, MRI, femoral tibial angle（FTA）, hip knee ankle angle （HKA）, and intraoperative and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: All the incisions healed without any complication. The operation time in the centralized group was longer than that in the control group[（65.0±2.1）min vs（52.0±2.1）min, P<0.05]. The medial meniscus extrusion reduction value in the centralized group was significantly reduced compared with the control group[（2.8±1.4） mm vs （1.1±2.2） mm, P<0.05]. The FTA, HKA, knee Lyshlom score, and 2000 IKDC score between two groups were no significantly （P>0.05）. Postoperative knee Lyshlom score and knee 2000 IKDC score improved in both groups（P<0.05）. CONCLUSION: HTO combined with centralization of medial meniscus can improve the reduction of medial meniscus and improve knee function. The medium and long-term curative effect still needs long-term follow-up of more cases.

Feasibility of Auto-Quantified Epicardial Adipose Tissue in Predicting Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence After Catheter Ablation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to build an auto-segmented artificial intelligence model of the atria and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) on computed tomography (CT) images, and examine the prognostic significance of auto-quantified left atrium (LA) and EAT volumes for AF.Methods and Results: This retrospective study included 334 patients with AF who were referred for catheter ablation (CA) between 2015 and 2017. Atria and EAT volumes were auto-quantified using a pre-trained 3-dimensional (3D) U-Net model from pre-ablation CT images. After adjusting for factors associated with AF, Cox regression analysis was used to examine predictors of AF recurrence. The mean (±SD) age of patients was 56±11 years; 251 (75%) were men, and 79 (24%) had non-paroxysmal AF. Over 2 years of follow-up, 139 (42%) patients experienced recurrence. Diabetes, non-paroxysmal AF, non-pulmonary vein triggers, mitral line ablation, and larger LA, right atrium, and EAT volume indices were linked to increased hazards of AF recurrence. After multivariate adjustment, non-paroxysmal AF (hazard ratio [HR] 0.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.4-0.8; P=0.003) and larger LA-EAT volume index (HR 1.1; 95% CI 1.0-1.2; P=0.009) remained independent predictors of AF recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: LA-EAT volume measured using the auto-quantified 3D U-Net model is feasible for predicting AF recurrence after CA, regardless of AF type.

Genomic data revealed inbreeding despite a geographically connected stable effective population size since the Holocene in the protected Formosan Long-Arm Scarab beetle, Cheirotonus formosanus.

Biodiversity conservation is a top priority in the face of global environmental change, and the practical restoration of biodiversity has emerged as a key objective. Nevertheless, the question of how to effectively contribute to biodiversity restoration and identify suitable systems for such efforts continues to present major challenges. By using genome-wide SNP data, our study revealed that populations from different mountain ranges of the Formosan Long-Arm Scarab beetle, a flagship species that receives strict protection, exhibited a single genetic cluster with no subdivision. Additionally, our result implied an association between the demographic history and historical fluctuations in climate and environmental conditions. Furthermore, we showed that, despite a stable and moderately sized effective population over recent history, all the individuals we studied exhibited signs of genetic inbreeding. We argued that the current practice of protecting the species as one evolutionarily significant unit remains the best conservation plan and that recent habitat change may have led to the pattern of significant inbreeding. We closed by emphasizing the importance of conservation genetic studies in guiding policy decisions and highlighting the potential of genomic data for identifying ideal empirical systems for genetic rescue, or assisted gene flow studies.

Deep learning-based workflow for automatic extraction of atria and epicardial adipose tissue on cardiac computed tomography in atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative estimation of the volume of the left atrium (LA) and epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) on computed tomography (CT) images is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence. We aimed to design a deep learning-based workflow to provide reliable automatic segmentation of the atria, pericardium, and EAT for future applications in the management of AF. METHODS: This study enrolled 157 patients with AF who underwent first-time catheter ablation between January 2015 and December 2017 at Taipei Veterans General Hospital. Three-dimensional (3D) U-Net models of the LA, right atrium (RA), and pericardium were used to develop a pipeline for total, LA-EAT, and RA-EAT automatic segmentation. We defined fat within the pericardium as tissue with attenuation between -190 and -30 HU and quantified the total EAT. Regions between the dilated endocardial boundaries and endocardial walls of the LA or RA within the pericardium were used to detect voxels attributed to fat, thus estimating LA-EAT and RA-EAT. RESULTS: The LA, RA, and pericardium segmentation models achieved Dice coefficients of 0.960 ± 0.010, 0.945 ± 0.013, and 0.967 ± 0.006, respectively. The 3D segmentation models correlated well with the ground truth for the LA, RA, and pericardium ( r = 0.99 and p < 0.001 for all). The Dice coefficients of our proposed method for EAT, LA-EAT, and RA-EAT were 0.870 ± 0.027, 0.846 ± 0.057, and 0.841 ± 0.071, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our proposed workflow for automatic LA, RA, and EAT segmentation using 3D U-Nets on CT images is reliable in patients with AF.

Salt-Supported Nickel Oxides for Boosted Hydrogen Production: The Critical Role of Halogen.

Hydrogen production from organic waste by gasification and reforming technologies offers major benefits to both the environment and climate. The long-term stability and regeneration of the reforming catalyst are still the biggest challenges because of carbon deposition. Here we report a recyclable salt-supported nickel oxide NiO/NaX (X: F, Cl, Br) catalyst for effective autothermal reforming of the oxygenated volatile organic compound (OVOC) ethyl acetate to hydrogen. The optimal hydrogen selectivity achieved 82.0% at 650 °C and the durability reached 43 h. Interestingly, with the decreasing of halogen electronegativity (F > Cl > Br) in NaX, the corresponding hydrogen selectivity of the catalysts decreased. Although NiO/NaX catalysts possess a very small specific surface area and a dense microstructure, their catalytic performance is better than that of normal Ni-based catalysts loaded on high-specific-surface-area supports. Detailed investigations revealed the critical roles played by halogen during the reforming reaction. First, the strong electronegative halogen in NaX induced the formation of hydrogen bonds with the reactants and reaction intermediates, which may prolong the surface residence time of such species, thus ensuring efficient hydrogen production over small-specific-surface-area catalysts under high-temperature conditions. Second, the halogen of the support NaX weakening the Ni-O bonds of the exposed Ni atoms in NiO/NaX made it easier for NiO to be reduced to Ni0, thus reducing the reaction activation energy and prompting the rapid catalytic reaction. The strength of such metal-support interaction can be easily modulated by varying the halogen electronegativity. This study provides a new prospect for the design of innovative recyclable heterogeneous catalysts with low specific surface area but high activity.

Effect and Safety of Herbal Medicine Foot Baths in Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Multicenter Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect and safety of foot baths with Tangbi Waixi Decoction (TW) in treating patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). METHODS: It is a multicenter double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Participants with DPN were recruited between November 18, 2016 and May 30, 2018 from 8 hospitals in China. All patients received basic treatments for glycemic management. Patients received foot baths with TW herbal granules either 66.9 g (intervention group) or 6.69 g (control group) for 30 min once a day for 2 weeks and followed by a 2-week rest, as a therapeutic course. If the Toronto Clinical Scoring System total score (TCSS-TS) ⩾6 points, the patients received a total of 3 therapeutic courses (for 12 weeks) and were followed up for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was change in TCSS-TS score at 12 and 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes included changes in bilateral motor nerve conduction velocity (MNCV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) of the median and common peroneal nerve. Safety was also assessed. RESULTS: Totally 632 patients were enrolled, and 317 and 315 were randomized to the intervention and control groups, respectively. After the 12-week intervention, patients in both groups showed significant declines in TCSSTS scores, and significant increases in MNCV and SNCV of the median and common peroneal nerves compared with pre-treatment (P<0.05). The reduction of TCSS-TS score at 12 weeks and the increase of SNCV of median nerve at 24 weeks in the control group were greater than those in the intervention group (P<0.05). The number of adverse events did not differ significantly between groups (P>0.05), and no serious adverse event was related with treatment. CONCLUSION: Treatment of TW foot baths was safe and significantly benefitted patients with DPN. A low dose of TW appeared to be more effective than a high dose. (Registry No. ChiCTR-IOR-16009331).

Facial Anthropometric Analysis of Gender-Related Characteristics in Computed Tomography.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, facial feminization surgery (FFS) has gained increasing popularity because of increases in transgender individuals and the acceptance of diversity in gender identity. However, there is still a scarcity of anthropometric research to guide evidence-based practices for FFS in Taiwan. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to provide a reference for surgeons to achieve optimal outcomes for patients undergoing FFS. The anthropometric analysis could help surgeons meet patients' specific requirements and improve patients' alignment with their gender identity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 100 patients (50 males and 50 females) who had undergone cranial computed tomography at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan because of the indication of blunt injuries to the head and face with suspected skull and facial fractures. The computed tomography images were imported into the OsiriX image software to conduct an anthropometric evaluation. The parameters used in the measurements included 2 aspects: bone and soft tissue anthropometric analysis. RESULTS: Anthropometric data were obtained from 50 males (age 32.6 ± 11.4 years) and 50 females (age 33.7 ± 10.3 years). The results for bone measurements showed that both the forehead bossing length and nasal bone width in the male group were significantly greater. The frontal angle in both bone and soft tissue in the male group was significantly smaller. The chin height and bigonial width in both bone and soft tissue in the male group were significantly greater. Although the average gonial angle was greater in the female group, the difference was not significant. For the measurements of lip projection, the results showed that there was no significant difference. Although this group of Asian males had more acute nasolabial angles, the difference was not statistically significant. However, the average nasofrontal angle among females was significantly more obtuse than among males. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that Asian males tend to have more prominent superior orbital rims, wider nasal bones, and wider and taller mandibles compared with Asian females. Despite showing some trends, the gonial angle and lip projections did not reveal any significant differences, which is likely because of a large amount of variation.

Berberine modulates the immunometabolism and differentiation of CD4+ T cells alleviating experimental arthritis by suppression of M1-exo-miR155.

BACKGROUND: The inflammatory cascade mediated by macrophages and T cells is considered to be an important factor in promoting the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our previous study found that berberine (BBR) can therapeutically impact adjuvant arthritis (AA) in rats through the regulation of macrophage polarization and the balance of Th17/Treg. However, whether BBR's effects on CD4+T cells response are related to its suppression of M1 macrophage still unclear. PURPOSE: The study aimed to estimate the mechanism of BBR in regulating the immunometabolism and differentiation of CD4+T cells are related to exosome derived from M1-macrophage (M1-exo). STUDY-DESIGN/METHODS: Mice model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) was established to investigate the antiarthritic effect of BBR was related with regulation of M1-exo to balance T cell subsets. Bioinformatics analysis using the GEO database and meta-analysis. In vitro, we established the co-culture system involving M1-exo and CD4+ T cells to examine whether BBR inhibits CD4+T cell activation and differentiation by influencing M1-exo-miR155. Exosome was characterized using transmission electron microscopy and western blot analysis, macrophage and CD4+T cell subpopulation were detected by flow cytometry. Further, the metabolic profiles of CD4+T cells were assessed by ECAR, OCR, and the level of glucose, lactate, intracellular ATP. RESULT: BBR reinstates CD4+ T cell homeostasis and reduces miR155 levels in both M1-exo and CD4+ T cells obtained from mice with CIA. In vitro, we found exosomes are indispensable for M1-CM on T lymphocyte activation and differentiation. BBR reversed M1-exo facilitating the activation and differentiation of CD4+T cells. Furthermore, BBR reversed glycolysis reprogramming of CD4+T cells induced by M1-exo, while these regulation effects were significantly weakened by miR155 mimic. CONCLUSION: The delivery of miR-155 by M1-exo contributes to CD4+ T cell immunometabolism dysfunction, a process implicated in the development of RA. The anti-arthritic effect of BBR is associated with the suppression of glycolysis and the disruption of CD4+ T cell subsets balance, achieved by reducing the transfer of M1-exo-miR155 into T cells.

Regulating Lewis Acidic Sites of 1T-2H MoS2 Catalysts for Solar-Driven Photothermal Catalytic H2 Production from Lignocellulosic Biomass.

Solar-driven photothermal catalytic H2 production from lignocellulosic biomass was achieved by using 1T-2H MoS2 with tunable Lewis acidic sites as catalysts in an alkaline aqueous solution, in which the number of Lewis acidic sites derived from the exposed Mo edges of MoS2 was successfully regulated by both the formation of an edge-terminated 1T-2H phase structure and tunable layer number. Owing to the abundant Lewis acidic sites for the oxygenolysis of lignocellulosic biomass, the 1T-2H MoS2 catalyst shows high photothermal catalytic lignocellulosic biomass-to-H2 transformation performance in polar wood chips, bamboo, rice straw corncobs, and rice hull aqueous solutions, and the highest H2 generation rate and solar-to-H2 (STH) efficiency respectively achieves 3661 µmol·h-1·g-1 and 0.18% in the polar wood chip system under 300 W Xe lamp illumination. This study provides a sustainable and cost-effective method for the direct transformation of renewable lignocellulosic biomass to H2 fuel driven by solar energy.

Surface Modification of Polylactic Acid Bioscaffold Fabricated via 3D Printing for Craniofacial Bone Tissue Engineering.

Bone tissue engineering is a promising solution for advanced bone defect reconstruction after severe trauma. In bone tissue engineering, scaffolds in three-dimensional (3D) structures are crucial components for cell growth, migration, and infiltration. The three-dimensional printing technique is well suited to manufacturing scaffolds since it can fabricate scaffolds with highly complex designs under good internal structural control. In the current study, the 3D printing technique was utilized to produce polylactic acid (PLA) scaffolds. BMSCs were seeded onto selected scaffolds, either hydrogel-mixed or not, and cultivated in vitro to investigate the osteogenic potential in each group. After osteogenic incubation in vitro, BMSC-seeded scaffolds were implanted onto rat cranium defects, and bone regeneration was observed after 12 weeks. Our results demonstrated that BMSCs were able to seed onto 3D-printed PLA scaffolds under high-resolution observation. Real-time PCR analysis showed their osteogenic ability, which could be further improved after BMSCs were mixed with hydrogel. The in vivo study showed significantly increased bone regeneration when rats' cranium defects were implanted with a hydrogel-mixed BMSC-seeded scaffold compared to the control and those without cell or hydrogel groups. This study showed that 3D-printed PLA scaffolds are a feasible option for BMSC cultivation and osteogenic differentiation. After mixing with hydrogel, BMSC-seeded 3D-printed scaffolds can facilitate bone regeneration.

Predictive value of frailty assessment tools in patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer: An observational cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have simultaneously compared the predictive value of various frailty assessment tools for outcome measures in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Therefore, it is difficult to determine which assessment tool is most relevant to the prognosis of this population. AIM: To investigate the predictive value of three frailty assessment tools for patient prognosis in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery. METHODS: This single-centre, observational, prospective cohort study was conducted at the Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from August 2021 to July 2022. A total of 229 patients aged ≥ 18 years who underwent surgery for gastrointestinal cancer were included in this study. We collected baseline data on the participants and administered three scales to assess frailty: The comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), Fried phenotype and FRAIL scale. The outcome measures were the postoperative severe complications and increased hospital costs. RESULTS: The prevalence of frailty when assessed with the CGA was 65.9%, 47.6% when assessed with the Fried phenotype, and 34.9% when assessed with the FRAIL scale. Using the CGA as a reference, kappa coefficients were 0.398 for the Fried phenotype and 0.291 for the FRAIL scale (both P < 0.001). Postoperative severe complications and increased hospital costs were observed in 29 (12.7%) and 57 (24.9%) patients, respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis confirmed that the CGA was independently associated with increased hospital costs (odds ratio = 2.298, 95% confidence interval: 1.044-5.057; P = 0.039). None of the frailty assessment tools were associated with postoperative severe complications. CONCLUSION: The CGA was an independent predictor of increased hospital costs in patients undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer.